Harvard Museum’s Stunning Rebranding


We here at Boston Daily are big fans of understated revolution. In January, we reeled after Boston University dramatically remade its logo to look shockingly similar to the old one. (In this month’s issue of Boston magazine, you can see some actual innovation in logos for other educational institutions.)

Today, we were shaken to learn that the Harvard University Art Museums have a completely new moniker.

The facilities are now called the Harvard Art Museum.

Consider our minds blown.


The name change, which was effective Wednesday, is meant to “further unify and integrate the museum’s collections and programs,” according to the press release. The school’s collection is currently spread between three buildings, but will go on display in one building after the new facility is complete in 2009.

1209752630They even have a sweet new logo.

Aligned with the plan to bring all three museums physically together under one roof, the new graphic system brings the three constituent museum names together under one institutional name that clarifies the organizational structure. The graphic representation presents Harvard Art Museum as the anchor, creates a clear picture of the unified constituents, and retains the distinct identities of each.

It’s just so much radical change at once. We wish someone had prepared us.